U.S. patent application number 16/072378 was filed with the patent office on 2019-05-23 for cutting food products.
The applicant listed for this patent is TEXTOR Maschinenbau GmbH. Invention is credited to Jorg Schmeiser.
Application Number | 20190152084 16/072378 |
Document ID | / |
Family ID | 57906635 |
Filed Date | 2019-05-23 |
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United States Patent
Application |
20190152084 |
Kind Code |
A1 |
Schmeiser; Jorg |
May 23, 2019 |
CUTTING FOOD PRODUCTS
Abstract
The invention relates to an apparatus for slicing food products,
in particular to a high-performance slicer, having a working region
which comprises a cutting region and a transport region having a
product feed, wherein the product feed supplies products to be
sliced to the cutting region on one track or on multiple tracks and
a cutting blade moves, in particular in a rotating and/or revolving
manner, in a cutting plane at the end of the cutting region; and
having a contactlessly working scanning device for detecting at
least some of the outer contour of the products to be sliced,
wherein the scanning device comprises at least one compact sensor
arranged in the working region for contour detection.
Inventors: |
Schmeiser; Jorg;
(Wiggensbach, DE) |
|
Applicant: |
Name |
City |
State |
Country |
Type |
TEXTOR Maschinenbau GmbH |
Wolfertschwenden |
|
DE |
|
|
Family ID: |
57906635 |
Appl. No.: |
16/072378 |
Filed: |
January 27, 2017 |
PCT Filed: |
January 27, 2017 |
PCT NO: |
PCT/EP2017/051754 |
371 Date: |
October 24, 2018 |
Current U.S.
Class: |
1/1 |
Current CPC
Class: |
B26D 5/32 20130101; B26D
5/34 20130101; B26D 2210/02 20130101; B26D 5/007 20130101 |
International
Class: |
B26D 5/34 20060101
B26D005/34; B26D 5/00 20060101 B26D005/00 |
Foreign Application Data
Date |
Code |
Application Number |
Feb 1, 2016 |
DE |
10 2016 101 753.1 |
Claims
1-37. (canceled)
38. An apparatus for slicing food products having a working region
which comprises a cutting region and a transport region having a
product feed, wherein the product feed supplies products to be
sliced to the cutting region on one track or on multiple tracks and
a cutting blade moves in a cutting plane at the end of the cutting
region; and having a contactlessly working scanning device for
detecting at least some of the outer contour of the products to be
sliced, wherein the scanning device comprises at least one compact
sensor arranged in the working region for contour detection.
39. An apparatus in accordance with claim 38, wherein the compact
sensor is arranged in a separate self-contained sensor housing and
defines a scanning region for the products, which is disposed
outside the sensor housing, within the working region.
40. An apparatus in accordance with claim 38, wherein the compact
sensor comprises a transmitter for transmitting scanning radiation
into a scanning region and a receiver for receiving radiation from
the scanning region, with the transmitter and the receiver being
arranged in a common sensor housing of the compact sensor.
41. An apparatus in accordance with claim 38, wherein the compact
sensor is configured to transmit scanning radiation in a scanning
plane.
42. An apparatus in accordance with claim 38, wherein the compact
sensor is configured to produce a line, by means of a light source,
on a product to be scanned and to record an image including the
line by means of a camera.
43. An apparatus in accordance with claim 38, wherein the compact
sensor is supported or held at a support frame or a rack of the
apparatus by which the cutting region and the transport region are
also supported.
44. An apparatus in accordance with claim 38, wherein the compact
sensor is arranged in or at the cutting region and/or in the region
of the product feed.
45. An apparatus in accordance with claim 38, wherein the compact
sensor is arranged in the region of a front product abutment of the
product feed or at a spacing of approximately 5 to 20 mm from an
abutment plane of the product abutment in a supply direction.
46. An apparatus in accordance with claim 38, wherein a scanning
plane of the compact sensor extends at least substantially in
parallel with or at an angle of less than approximately 45.degree.
to the cutting plane.
47. An apparatus in accordance with claim 38, wherein the compact
sensor is arranged in a region of the transport region which is
positioned in front of the product feed.
48. An apparatus in accordance with claim 38, wherein the compact
sensor is arranged in the region of a transfer device, the products
being transferred to the product feed by means of said transfer
device.
49. An apparatus in accordance with claim 48, wherein the transfer
device has a pivotable product support; and wherein the compact
sensor is arranged in front of the pivotable product support viewed
in a transport direction.
50. An apparatus in accordance with claim 38, wherein the compact
sensor is arranged in the region of a transition between two
conveying devices of the transport region.
51. An apparatus in accordance with claim 38, wherein the compact
sensor is arranged in a product inlet region of the apparatus,
namely in, directly in front of or directly behind an inlet plane
defined by a support frame or a rack of the apparatus.
52. An apparatus in accordance with claim 38, wherein different
scanning positions are predefined for the compact sensor in the
working region, and wherein the scanning positions differ from one
another with respect to their position in the transport direction
of the products and/or with respect to their position around the
transport direction.
53. An apparatus in accordance with claim 51, wherein the compact
sensor can be adjusted and/or can be converted between the scanning
positions.
54. An apparatus in accordance with claim 38, wherein a plurality
of parallel product tracks of the apparatus are simultaneously
covered by the at least one compact sensor.
55. An apparatus in accordance with claim 38, wherein a plurality
of compact sensors for a joint contour detection are arranged at a
scanning point.
56. An apparatus in accordance with claim 38, wherein the scanning
takes place in a manner offset in space and/or in time by at least
two compact sensors at a scanning point.
57. An apparatus in accordance with claim 38, wherein the scanning
takes place by two compact sensors oriented oppositely with respect
to one another at a scanning point.
58. An apparatus in accordance with claim 38, wherein the scanning
device is configured to carry out one or more additional tasks by
detecting at least one contour belonging to at least one functional
unit of the apparatus by means of the compact sensor.
59. An apparatus in accordance with claim 38, wherein a control
device is provided which is configured to calculate control data
using detected product contours and to operate the apparatus using
the control data.
60. A method of detecting at least some of the outer contour of
food products to be sliced by means of a slicing apparatus, wherein
the contour is detected within the slicing apparatus by means of a
contactlessly working compact sensor of a scanning device.
61. A method in accordance with claim 60, wherein the contour of
the products is in each case detected after the product, which was
previously compressed due to a gripping process in the product
feed, has at least partly relaxed again.
62. A method in accordance with claim 60, wherein the contour of
the products is in each case detected after a gripping process in
the product feed in that first a front product section is scanned
by means of the compact sensor at a relatively faster feed during a
fast-feed phase toward the cutting plane and then the remaining
product section is scanned by means of said compact sensor at a
relatively slower feed during a cutting feed phase through the
cutting plane.
63. A method in accordance with claim 60, wherein control data are
calculated using detected product contours and the slicing
apparatus is operated using the control data.
64. A method in accordance with claim 60, wherein one or more
additional tasks are carried out by means of the scanning device in
that at least one contour belonging to at least one functional unit
of the apparatus is detected by means of the compact sensor.
Description
[0001] The invention relates to an apparatus for slicing food
products, in particular to a high-performance slicer, having a
working region which comprises a cutting region and a transport
region having a product feed, wherein the product feed supplies
products to be sliced to the cutting region on one track or on
multiple tracks and a cutting blade moves, in particular in a
rotating and/or revolving manner, in a cutting plane at the end of
the cutting region.
[0002] Such slicing apparatus which are also simply called slicers
are generally known. For example, slices are cut off from the food
products at a constant cutting frequency using circular blades
which revolve in a planetary motion and additionally rotate or
using scythe-like blades which only rotate and which have speeds of
several hundred up to some thousand revolutions per minute. In
practice, it is desirable in many applications that either the
individual slices or portions formed from a plurality of slices
have a predefined weight. Since the cutting frequency is constant,
the weight of the individual slices is preferably influenced in
that the thickness of the slices is varied. This takes place by a
corresponding control of the product feed: the further the product
between two consecutive cuts of the blade is advanced beyond the
cutting plane, the greater the thickness of the product slice
subsequently cut off. In this respect, the slice thickness is only
one parameter which determines the weight of the respective slice.
The slice weight is determined by the slice volume and by the
average density of the slice, with the slice volume resulting from
the slice thickness and the outer surface contour of the slice. The
average density of the product can be determined from the total
weight of the product determined by means of a scale before the
slicing and from the total volume of the product determined by the
outer surface contour of the total product.
[0003] If product slices or portions of product slices of constant
weight should be obtained, knowledge of the outer contour of the
products to be sliced is therefore necessary for this purpose. The
contour is also called a profile.
[0004] The above-explained connections and so-called product
scanners which serve to detect the outer contour of food products
to be sliced are generally known to the skilled person. Reference
is made purely by way of example to DE 196 04 254 A, WO 2000/062983
A, EP 2 644 337 A and DE 10 2009 036 682 A.
[0005] In practice, product scanners are as a rule separate
machines which are each positioned in front of the slicer as
components of a total production line. The products in this respect
pass through a tunnel-like scan housing in which the outer product
contour is detected by scanning. The electric and electronic or
optoelectronic devices used for the scanning are in this respect
arranged within the scan housing in a comparatively open and
unprotected manner. This is possible since laser radiation of a
higher protection class can also be used due to the surrounding
scan housing. In addition, it is not necessary to subject the
interior of the scan housing to a high-pressure cleaning or
steam-jet cleaning so that the electric or electronic devices do
not have to satisfy particularly high demands on the type of
protection or protection class.
[0006] The high additional costs and the increased space
requirement are disadvantages of the product scanners previously
used in practice since a product scanner configured as a separate
machine requires a comparatively large amount of space and in
particular considerably increases the length of a production
plant.
[0007] Depending on the product, a longer transport and handling
path between a separate, upstream product scanner and the cutting
region is moreover unfavorable since the product may be changed in
an unwanted manner with respect to its outer dimensions, i.e. its
outer contour, on its way to the cutting region. This can e.g. take
place by a mechanical influence or in that temperature influences
have an effect.
[0008] It is the object of the invention to provide a simple,
reliable, cost-favorable and space-saving possibility of
determining the outer contour of food products to be sliced.
[0009] This object is satisfied by the features of claim 1.
[0010] In accordance with the invention, the slicing apparatus
comprises a contactlessly working scanning device for detecting at
least some of the outer contour of the products to be sliced,
wherein the scanning device comprises at least one compact sensor
arranged in the working region for contour detection.
[0011] The invention means a fundamental moving away from the
previous procedure which comprises using large and expensive
product scanners in the form of separate machines for the contour
detection and positioning them in front of the slicing apparatus.
The invention makes use of the recognition that contour detection
is possible using compact sensors which can be arranged in the
working region of the slicing apparatus itself, that is within the
slicer. The prejudice prevalent in the prior art is thus overcome
according to which a contactless contour detection of food products
to be sliced is not possible under the conditions which are
provided in the transport region and in the cutting region of a
high-speed food slicer, that is under conditions which are in
particular characterized by the presence of dirt, heat and
moisture. This is due to the fact that cutting residues, cutting
dust and cutting flour are present in the region of a food slicer
and all the components of a food slicer regularly have to be
subjected to cleaning with water or with steam under high pressure
and at high temperatures. In addition, it plays a role that care
has to be taken that safety provisions are maintained and in
particular eye safety is ensured for the operators in the event of
the use of laser radiation for contour detection.
[0012] It was surprisingly found that sensors which are very small
and compact in comparison with the dimensions of a typical food
slicer can be provided; they enable a reliable contour detection
with a sufficiently high accuracy and can simultaneously be
designed robust enough to be able to resist conditions within the
working region of a food slicer which are adverse for electric or
optoelectronic devices.
[0013] Possible embodiments of the compact sensors used in
accordance with the invention and advantageous properties of these
compact sensors are explained in the following and are set forth in
the dependent claims.
[0014] Such a compact sensor can comprise, in a common housing, a
laser for transmitting laser radiation in a scanning plane as the
light source and a camera which can record the image of a line
which is produced by the transmitted radiation on a product to be
scanned in the scanning plane. Such sensors can have an integrated
electronics system without the necessity for an additional
controller. Furthermore, such sensors can be insensitive with
respect to external light or scattered light. Very high resolutions
in the range of some hundredths of a millimeter or very high data
output rates or signal output rates of up to 6 kHz are furthermore
possible. The sensors can be provided with an integrated gigabit
LAN port.
[0015] Such compact sensors consequently form so-to-say autonomous
units which only have to be connected to a power supply and to a
data detection device.
[0016] In a possible embodiment, such a compact sensor has a width
of approximately 300 mm, a maximum height of approximately 100 mm
and a thickness of approximately 40 mm. Such sensors are available
from the company wenglorMEL GmbH, for example.
[0017] The housing of these sensors can be improved such that the
sensors satisfy high device protection classes and are absolutely
insensitive with respect to dust and with respect to cleaning with
water and steam under high pressure and at high temperatures.
[0018] A further advantage of such sensors is that they can be
operated using laser radiation of a lower protection class and are
thus not dangerous to the human eye.
[0019] Such compact sensors can consequently be positioned in a
free and open manner at any desired position in the working region
of a food slicer. Due to their small construction size, the compact
sensors require little space and can thus be variably placed in
dependence on the respective construction circumstances of the
slicer and on the contour of the products which is to be scanned. A
plurality of compact sensors can be arranged independently of one
another in the slicer. The detection data of a plurality of sensors
can be combined by calculation within the framework of the data
evaluation.
[0020] In accordance with the invention, the compact sensors
preferably work in accordance with the so-called light sectioning
process to detect a contour or a profile. This measurement
principle is generally known to the skilled person. For this
purpose, reference is also made to the initially mentioned patent
literature with respect to the prior art. Generally, other scanning
principles such as time-of-flight measurements can also be used in
accordance with the invention. On the use of the light sectioning
process, the production of the continuous lines or interrupted
lines on the products to be scanned can generally take place in any
desired manner. Thus a light line can, for example, be transmitted
by means of a line laser and, optionally, using suitable optics
such as a cylindrical lens. Alternatively, a single laser beam can
be periodically deflected at a high scanning rate within a scanning
angular range.
[0021] The invention additionally relates to a method of detecting
at least some of the outer contour of food products to be sliced by
means of a slicing apparatus, in particular by means of a slicing
apparatus of the kind described herein, wherein the contour is
detected within the slicing apparatus by means of a contactlessly
working compact sensor of a scanning device.
[0022] The invention furthermore relates to the use of at least one
compact sensor which is arranged in the working region of a slicing
apparatus of the kind described herein for the carrying out of one
or more additional tasks by detecting at least one contour
belonging to at least one functional unit of the apparatus.
[0023] Preferred embodiments of the invention are described above
and below and result from the drawing, the associated description
and the claims.
[0024] The compact sensor is preferably arranged in a separate
self-contained sensor housing, wherein the compact sensor defines a
scanning region for the products, which is disposed outside the
sensor housing, within the working region of the slicing apparatus.
Whereas in accordance with the previous practice--as already
mentioned above--the products have to pass through the scanner
housing, provision is so-to-say made in accordance with the
invention that the scanner has to be based on the products and on
the manner of their handling in the slicer and in particular of
their transport path through the slicer. Such an integration into
the slicer is possible without a problem due to the compactness and
the general insensitivity of the sensors in accordance with the
invention.
[0025] The sensor housing can be configured such that it satisfies
a national or international standardized protection class in
accordance with which dust-proofness, complete protection against
contact and protection against water are provided during
high-pressure cleaning/steam-jet cleaning, in particular protection
class IP6K9K or IP69 in accordance with DIN 40 050, part 9, or DIN
EN 60529, or an equivalent protection class.
[0026] An encapsulated compact sensor or a compact sensor having an
encapsulated sensor housing can in particular be provided.
[0027] The compact sensor preferably comprises a transmitter for
transmitting scanning radiation into a scanning region and a
receiver for receiving radiation from the scanning region, with the
transmitter and the receiver being arranged in a common sensor
housing of the compact sensor. In this respect, the scanning region
in particular presents that spatial volume in which the
transmission region of the transmitter and the reception region of
the receiver overlap.
[0028] Provision is preferably made that the compact sensor
transmits laser radiation and is configured such that it satisfies
a national or international standardized laser protection class in
accordance with which the laser radiation is not dangerous to the
human eye, in particular laser protection class 1 or 2 in
accordance with DIN EN 60825-1, or an equivalent laser protection
class.
[0029] The compact sensor is in particular configured to transmit
scanning radiation in a scanning plane. This scanning radiation
produces a line on a product to be scanned, said line being able to
be detected by means of a receiver and being able to be evaluated
with respect to its extent to determine the product contour in the
scanning plane, with the optical axis of the receiver being
inclined with respect to the scanning plane, i.e. the receiver
"looks", at an angle to the scanning plane, at the line produced on
the product surface.
[0030] Provision is preferably made that a scanning plane of the
compact sensor extends at least substantially perpendicular to or
at an angle of more than approximately 45.degree. to a direction of
movement of the products through the scanning plane.
[0031] The compact sensor is preferably configured as a laser
scanner. Both such sensors in which a continuous line or an
interrupted line is transmitted and sensors in which a point-like
laser beam is transmitted and periodically deflected are called
scanners here.
[0032] The compact sensor preferably works in accordance with the
light sectioning process. As already mentioned, such a scanning
principle is generally known for contour or profile detection.
[0033] The compact sensor is preferably configured to produce a
continuous line or an interrupted line, by means of a light source,
in particular a laser source, on a product to be scanned and to
record an image including the line by means of a camera. A
photodiode or a CCD device can serve as a camera, for example.
[0034] The compact sensor is preferably supported or held at a
support frame or a rack of the slicing apparatus by which the
cutting region and the transport region of the slicing apparatus
are also supported. The compact sensor in accordance with the
invention can be positioned in the working region in generally any
desired manner in particular due to its comparatively low weight.
Comparatively light and filigree holders or suspensions for the
compact sensor can be used. The compact sensor can, for example,
also be fastened to already present components of the slicing
apparatus.
[0035] The compact sensor can be arranged in or at the cutting
region. It is also possible to arrange the compact sensor in the
region of the product feed. The compact sensor can in particular be
arranged in the region of a front product abutment of the product
feed. A possible spacing of the compact sensor from a front
abutment plane of the product abutment amounts to approximately 5
to 20 mm, for example. In a possible embodiment, the compact sensor
is located at a spacing of approximately 30 to 400 mm from the
cutting plane--viewed in the supply direction of the products.
[0036] If the positioning or orientation of the compact sensor is
spoken of, the position or orientation of a scanning plane of the
sensor is in particular also to be understood by this.
[0037] Alternatively to the aforesaid possibilities, the compact
sensor can be arranged in a region of the transport region which is
positioned in front of the product feed.
[0038] The compact sensor can, for example, be arranged in the
region of a transfer device, the products being transferred to the
product feed by means of said transfer device. The transfer device
can have a pivotable product support, wherein the compact sensor is
arranged in front of the pivotable product support--viewed in a
transport direction of the products.
[0039] In an embodiment, the compact sensor can be arranged in the
region of a transition between two conveying devices of a transport
path of the transport region. If the compact sensor is arranged
beneath the transport path, an intermediate space between two
consecutive belt conveyors can, for example, be used for scanning
the products from below.
[0040] Provision can furthermore be made that the compact sensor is
arranged in a product inlet region of the apparatus, in particular
in, directly in front of or directly behind an inlet plane defined
by a support frame or a rack of the apparatus.
[0041] Since the compact sensor can generally be freely placed in
the slicing apparatus due to its small size, it can be ensured in
accordance with an embodiment that the compact sensor is arranged
outside a contamination region of the working region. Cleaning of
the slicing apparatus is not hereby made unnecessarily more
difficult. Provision can in particular be made that the compact
sensor is arranged spaced apart from the product and/or from the
product feed.
[0042] Provision can furthermore be made in accordance with the
invention that different scanning positions are predefined for the
compact sensor in the working region. On the one hand, it is meant
hereby that the contour detection of the products in the slicing
apparatus can generally take place at different scanning points.
Examples of different scanning points were named above. On the
other hand, provision can in particular, however, also be made that
the different scanning positions belong to a common scanning point.
This means that, on a change of the scanning position of the
compact sensor, the scanning point at which the contour detection
at the products within the slicing apparatus takes place is not
changed, but merely the position of the compact sensor can be
changed at the scanning point. For example, the compact sensor can
be moved somewhat further to the front or somewhat further to the
rear--viewed in the direction of movement of the products.
Alternatively or additionally, the angular position of the compact
sensor can be changed around the direction of movement. In this
manner, the contour detection can, for example, in particular be
optimized in dependence on the type or the property of the
respective products in that the geometrical relationships of the
scanning are optimized by a different positioning of the compact
sensor. The scanning device in accordance with the invention can
hereby also flexibly react to conversions or retrofittings of the
slicing apparatus which change its construction conditions.
[0043] In cases in which the slicing apparatus itself is not
converted or changed itself or is only converted or changed
insignificantly and at least substantially only a change of the
kind or type of product takes place, it is also possible to respond
quickly and reliably to such a change by a product-dependent
adaptation or adjustment or a product-dependent conversion of the
compact sensor.
[0044] The different scanning positions are in particular
unambiguously predefined such that the compact sensor can only be
placed in a single position and orientation. No alignment processes
or teaching processes are hereby necessary on a new positioning of
the compact sensor.
[0045] Provision can in particular be made that the compact sensor
can be adjusted and/or can be converted between the scanning
positions. The compact sensor can, for example, be pivoted or
displaced, wherein compulsory guides and end abutments can, for
example, be provided for this purpose to establish an advantageous
unambiguity of the positioning of the compact sensor.
[0046] In accordance with a further embodiment of the invention,
provision is made that a plurality of parallel product tracks of
the slicing apparatus are simultaneously covered by one or more
compact sensors. It is thus not necessary to provide a separate
compact sensor for each product on a multitrack operation of the
slicing apparatus. The number of compact sensors can therefore be
smaller than the number of tracks, wherein it is possible, but not
absolutely necessary, that all the tracks are detected by a single
compact sensor. It has been found that a sufficiently large
scanning region of the compact sensor can be provided without
having to accept impairments in particular with respect to the
positionability of the compact sensor within the slicing apparatus.
The track association can e.g. take place by filtering the
respective desired signal in an associated control device.
[0047] In accordance with a further embodiment of the invention,
provision is made that a plurality of compact sensors for a joint
contour detection are arranged at a scanning point. A plurality of
compact sensors which cooperate on the contour detection can
therefore be arranged at a scanning point. In dependence on the
outer design of the products to be sliced, a single compact sensor
per scanning point can be sufficient to detect the product contour
with the accuracy sufficient for the respective invention. It can
be advantageous in other applications to use a plurality of compact
sensors per scanning point. They can be arranged distributed around
the direction of movement or transport direction of the products in
the peripheral direction. Two compact sensors which each scan the
product obliquely from above can thus be provided, for example.
Alternatively, a single compact sensor supported by two compact
sensors, which scan obliquely from below and are arranged beneath
the products, can be provided above the products.
[0048] If the compact sensors work with scanning planes, it is
possible, but not absolutely necessary, in accordance with the
invention that all the scanning planes of the compact sensors are
disposed in a single common plane. It is rather possible that the
scanning planes are slightly offset with respect to one another in
the transport direction of the products. The setting up of a
scanning point is hereby substantially simplified since no complex
and/or expensive alignments of the compact sensors relative to one
another are necessary. It has been found in connection with compact
sensors working in accordance with the light sectioning process
that a spacing of the scanning lines at a product of only a few
millimeters still enables a reliable detection and evaluation of
the scanning lines by the associated compact sensor. In other
words, it has been found that the compact sensors do not interfere
with one another.
[0049] The aforesaid example is a possibility for a general
preferred concept of the invention according to which the scanning
of the products can take place in a manner offset in space by at
least two compact sensors at a scanning point. Alternatively or
additionally to a spatial offset, it is possible to carry out a
scanning offset in time in that the compact sensors are not
simultaneously active, but rather alternately active. It can thus,
for example, be prevented by a pulsed operation in compact sensors
working in accordance with the light sectioning process that the
camera of the one sensor is interfered with by the scanning line
produced on the product by the other sensor.
[0050] Provision can furthermore be made that the scanning takes
place by two compact sensors oriented oppositely with respect to
one another at a scanning point. In this manner, a point or a
region at the outer side of a product can be detected from
different directions. This is particularly advantageous in products
having a very irregular shape since regions not to be detected are,
for example, prevented due to undercuts or depressions.
[0051] In accordance with a further embodiment, provision can be
made that the scanning device is configured to carry out one or
more additional tasks. This can take place by detecting at least
one contour belonging to at least one functional unit of the
apparatus by means of the compact sensor. In this respect, the
compact sensor can at least temporarily be used to scan a
functional unit of the apparatus. If the compact sensor is arranged
in the region of the product feed, a product gripper engaging at
the rear product end during the advance of a product or a product
holder of a different type can, for example, be scanned when it
passes the scanning point of the compact sensor during the product
advance. It can hereby, for example, be examined whether the
product gripper or the product holder is correctly oriented and
whether a residual product piece to be discarded in normal
operation is still located at the product gripper or product holder
if said product gripper or product holder is moved back into a
starting position for the preparation of the slicing of a following
product and again passes the scanning point in the process. It
could e.g. also be examined by means of a compact sensor whether
side abutments matching product parameters each set at the slicer
are installed at all or whether present side abutments are
respectively set to the correct position.
[0052] In general, due to the fact that the compact sensor is
arranged within the slicing apparatus, it can consequently
additionally be used to monitor a proper configuration and a proper
functional sequence of one or more functional units of the slicing
apparatus.
[0053] As already initially mentioned, the contour detection by
means of one or more compact sensors within the slicing apparatus
in particular serves to acquire product slices or portions of
product slices of constant weight.
[0054] Against this background, a control device can be provided
which is configured to calculate control data using detected
product contours and to operate the apparatus, in particular the
product feed, using the control data.
[0055] With regard to the method in accordance with the invention,
the use of one or more compact sensors within the slicing apparatus
makes it possible to adapt the contour detection to processes which
anyway take place on the handling of the products within the
slicing apparatus. A possible slicing apparatus can thus, for
example, be operated such that a product transferred to the product
feed can be reliably gripped by a product gripper engaging at the
rear product end such that the product is pressed by means of the
product gripper toward a product abutment temporarily located in
the advance path. The product is subsequently retracted by a
specific, comparatively short path by means of the product gripper
which now grips correctly in a manner in accordance with its
intended purpose, whereupon the product abutment is moved away to
release the advance path to the cutting plane. The product is
thereupon moved toward the cutting plane and then through the
cutting plane by means of the product gripper. It can be
problematic in this connection that the product pressed toward the
product abutment is deformed during the gripping process, but does
not completely relax again on the subsequent retraction. In
dependence on the respective product type, a plastic deformation
can consequently take place and a permanent deformation can thus
occur, whereby the outer product contour changes during the
gripping. This can result in errors on the control of the product
advance when the control, due to an upstream scanning process,
starts from an outer product contour which is no longer present at
all after the gripping process due to a non-elastic deformation of
the front product region.
[0056] In such a case, the invention can avoid errors in that the
product contour is in each case only detected, and in particular
only detected shortly before the slicing, after the product, which
was previously compressed due to a gripping process in the product
feed, has relaxed again, wherein it is not disadvantageous if the
product only partly relaxes and a residual deformation remains. It
is thus, for example, possible in accordance with the invention to
arrange one or more compact sensors in the region of the mentioned
product abutment. The contour detection can consequently take place
on or shortly after the start of the actual product feed and thus
of the actual slicing operation. The scanning of the product
consequently in particular only starts when the product is advanced
toward the cutting plane by means of the product holder.
[0057] It has been found that in many applications it is not
necessary for a sufficient accuracy to only start with the slicing
of a product after the product has been completely scanned. It is
therefore possible that a middle section and/or a rear section of
the product is/are only scanned when the slicing of the product has
already begun.
[0058] Such a use of the scanning device in accordance with the
invention also does not result in an impairment of the working
speed of the slicing apparatus. It has been found that the quality
and in particular the accuracy of the contour detection is not
impaired if the product is scanned at different feed speeds in two
scanning phases during the scanning process such as is the case
when, after a gripping process, the product is first moved toward
the cutting plane during a fast-feed phase and is subsequently
moved through the cutting plane at a relatively slower feed speed
in a cutting feed phase. A front product section is then scanned by
means of the compact sensor at a relatively higher feed speed and
the remaining product section is subsequently scanned by means of
said compact sensor at a relatively slower feed speed.
Consequently, the contour detection can here also take place on or
shortly after the start of the actual product feed and thus of the
actual slicing operation.
[0059] As already initially mentioned, provision can be made in
accordance with an embodiment of the invention that control data
are calculated using detected product contours and the slicing
apparatus, in particular the product feed, is operated using the
control data, and indeed for the purpose of acquiring product
slices or portions of product slices of constant weight.
[0060] A possible embodiment of the method in accordance with the
invention is characterized in that one or more additional tasks are
carried out by means of the scanning device. Provision can be made
for this purpose that at least one contour belonging to at least
one functional unit of the apparatus is detected by means of the
compact sensor.
[0061] The invention will be described in the following by way of
example with reference to the drawing. There are shown:
[0062] FIG. 1 a food slicer in accordance with the invention in a
schematic side view;
[0063] FIG. 2 two views of a compact sensor in accordance with the
invention; and
[0064] FIGS. 3 to 5 schematically in each case, a possible
arrangement of a plurality of compact sensors in accordance with
the invention.
[0065] In accordance with FIG. 1, a food slicer 10 in accordance
with the invention has a frame-like rack 35, comprising a plurality
of supporting struts and bars, as a supporting structure in a
manner known per se. The working region of the slicer 10 largely
disposed within this support frame 35 comprises a front cutting
region 11 and a transport region 13 having a product feed 15.
[0066] The cutting region 11 comprises a cutting head 22 which is
supported at a frame rack 35 and in which a drive, not shown, for a
cutting blade 21, configured as a circular blade here, is in
particular arranged. The cutting plane 19 defined by the cutting
blade 21 is inclined approximately by 45.degree. to the vertical.
The axis of rotation 20 of the cutting blade 21 is indicated by a
dashed line. During operation, the cutting blade 21 rotates about
its own axis of rotation 20 and additionally revolves about a drive
axis 24 which is indicated by a chain-dotted line and with respect
to which the cutting blade 21 is eccentrically arranged and thus
revolves about in a planetary motion.
[0067] The product support comprises a support plane which extends
perpendicular to the cutting plane 19, and which is thus likewise
inclined by 45.degree. to the vertical, and along which food
products 17 to be sliced are supplied to the cutting plane 19 with
the aid of a product holder 49 engaging at the rear product
end.
[0068] A movable product abutment 16 is provided in front of the
cutting region 11 beneath the blade head 22. As explained in the
introductory part, the respective product 17 is pressed toward the
product abutment 16 by means of the product holder 49 in a gripping
process to ensure a reliable gripping of the product 17. If the
actual product advance toward the cutting plane 19 is then started,
the product abutment 16 is moved out of the movement path of the
product 17 to release the path to the cutting plane 19.
[0069] In the representation of FIG. 1, the product 17 is disposed
on a pivotable product support 39 of the product feed 15. The
product support 39 belongs to a transfer device 37 which will be
looked at in more detail in the following. The product support 39
can e.g. be configured as a free-running endless belt or can have a
sliding surface for the products 17.
[0070] In the upwardly pivoted state in accordance with FIG. 1, the
pivotable product support 39 forms a product support, on which the
product 17 is disposed during the advance, together with a front
conveyor 61 which can be a conveyor belt or a passive sliding
support, for example.
[0071] A cutting edge 63 with which the cutting blade 21 cooperates
on the cutting off of slices 53 from the products 17 adjoins the
front conveyor 61. Portions 55 are formed on a portioning belt 65
from the cut-off slices 53 and are subsequently transferred to a
further conveyor belt 67 and are then supplied to a further
processing in which the portions 55 are in particular weighed. A
scale can be integrated into the conveyor 67.
[0072] A central control device 51 is schematically shown in FIG. 1
and is inter alia connected to the cutting head 22 and to the
product holder 49 of the product feed 15. In addition, the control
device 51 communicates with the remaining functional units of the
slicer 10, in particular with a scanning device which will be
explained in more detail in the following and which comprises a
plurality of compact sensors 23 for which four different scanning
points A, B, C, D and E within the slicer 10 are indicated for
illustration.
[0073] The slicer 10 can generally be configured for a single-track
operation or for a multitrack transport, feed and slicing of food
products 17. The product feed 15 then has a pivotable product
support 39 and a product holder 49 for each track. The slicer 10
can in particular be configured for an operation completely
individually per track in which the tracks can be operated
completely independently of one another and share the common
cutting blade 21.
[0074] The products 17 to be sliced are manually or automatically
supplied in a loading region 69 onto a further conveying device 44
which can be considered as belonging to the transport region 13 of
the slicer 10 and supplies the loaded products 17 through a rear
product inlet region 45, which defines an inlet plane 47, to
further conveying devices 41, 43 of the transport region 13. The
transport path formed by the conveying devices 41, 43, 44, which
can in particular be endless belt conveyors, increases slightly
from the rear to the front so that the products 17 in front of the
transfer device 37 are already located at a specific height within
the slicer 10 and the loading height in the loading region 69 is
thus comparatively low, whereby a manual loading is in particular
facilitated.
[0075] To achieve portions 55 which are at least largely of
constant weight, the product advance in the product feed 15 inter
alia takes place on the basis of the cross-sectional surfaces of
the products 17 which can be calculated from the outer product
contour. The already mentioned contactlessly working scanning
device is provided for the detection of the product contour and
comprises an arrangement of compact sensors 23 at at least one
scanning point within the slicer 10.
[0076] A possible scanning point A is located directly in front of
the product abutment 16 in the product feed 15 which is inclined to
the vertical and which thus extends perpendicular to the cutting
plane 19. The compact sensors 23 are consequently arranged such
that their scanning planes 33 extend in parallel with the cutting
plane 19 and thus perpendicular to the longitudinal product extent
and thus perpendicular to the product advance direction. The
compact sensors 23 are here arranged such that their scanning
planes 33 are disposed in a common plane. Alternatively, the
scanning planes 33 of the compact sensors 23 can be offset from one
another.
[0077] The individual compact sensors 23 are so small that they can
so-to-say be considered as point-like in comparison with the
dimensions of the slicer 10. The slicer 10, for example, has a
length of approximately 2.70 m without the loading region 69, that
is up to the inlet plane 47, a height of approximately 2.50 m up to
the upper bars of the support frame 35 and a width of approximately
1 m. This means that sufficient space for an ideal positioning of
the small compact sensors 23 is still present even in a
comparatively compact construction of the slicer in which a
plurality of functional units are integrated in a comparatively
small space. As mentioned in the introductory part, the compact
sensors 23 can consequently largely be freely positioned and, due
to their low weight, can be fastened directly to existing
functional units of the slicer 10 with a small mechanical effort or
can be fastened via holders to these functional units or can be
fastened to the support frame 35. Furthermore, a power supply and a
signal line for a transmission of the detected contour data to the
central control device 51 are respectively sufficient for the
compact sensors 23. In principle, a wireless data transmission and
a battery operation respectively a rechargeable battery operation
of the compact sensors 23 are possible, which further simplifies
the integration of said compact sensors into the slicer 10.
[0078] A further possible scanning point B is located in front of
the transfer device 37 which, with a downwardly pivoted product
support 39 indicated by dashed lines in FIG. 1, takes over the
products 17 from the front conveying device 41 of the transport
device supplying the products 17 over the "rear" of the slicer 10.
The scanning planes 33 of the compact sensors 23 are disposed in
the region of the transition between the conveying device 41 and
the downwardly pivoted product support 39. The products 17 can
consequently be scanned while they are transferred to the transfer
device 37.
[0079] An alternative scanning point C is located in the region of
the transition between the two consecutive conveying devices 41, 43
of the transport device.
[0080] The scanning point D shows a further possibility of
positioning the compact sensors 23. The scanning planes 33 of the
compact sensors 23 are located directly behind the inlet plane 47
of the slicer 10 and, in turn, in the transition region of two
conveying devices 43, 44. The scanning point E shows yet a further
positioning possibility. The compact sensors 23 are arranged
directly in front of the product inlet region 45. In this case, the
conveying path can be interrupted at this scanning point E, if
necessary, and can e.g. comprise two consecutive conveyors.
[0081] In FIG. 1, the compact sensors 23 are only shown
schematically at the respective scanning points A, B, C, D and E.
The enlarged representation within FIG. 1 shows a side view at the
left and, rotated by 90.degree. with respect thereto, an end face
view of a possible compact sensor 23 in accordance with the
invention at the right to illustrate how the compact sensors 23
configured in accordance with this embodiment can be oriented in
the slicer 10.
[0082] Reference is also made to FIG. 2 in this connection. The
compact sensors 23 each comprise a self-contained sensor housing 25
in which a laser source 29 as the transmitter and a camera 31 as
the receiver are respectively arranged. The laser source 29
transmits scanning radiation in a scanning plane 33 which--as
already mentioned--extends perpendicular to the longitudinal extent
in the slicer 10 and thus perpendicular to the respective direction
of movement of the products 17.
[0083] A conical detection region 59 of the camera 31 comprising an
optical axis 57 which extends inclined to the scanning plane 33
intersects the V-shaped scanning plane 33 at a distance from the
sensor housing 25 predefined by the respective configuration of the
compact sensor 23. This overlap region forms the scanning region 27
(cf. FIG. 5) of the compact sensor 25.
[0084] As already initially mentioned, the compact sensor 23 can
have a width b of approximately 300 mm, a smaller height h of
approximately 60 mm, a larger height H of approximately 80 mm and a
thickness d of approximately 40 mm in accordance with a possible
embodiment.
[0085] In this embodiment, the mentioned scanning region 27 (cf.
FIG. 5), for instance, starts at a spacing from the housing 25 of
the compact sensor 23 of approximately 300 mm measured along the
scanning plane 33. The scanning region 27 ends approximately after
a further 700 mm and thus only at a distance of approximately 1 m
from the sensor housing 25. The width of the working region amounts
to approximately 280 mm at the start, that is at a distance of
approximately 300 mm, and amounts to approximately 830 mm at the
end, that is at a distance of approximately 1000 mm. The mean
spatial resolution amounts to between 45 and 200 .mu.m--depending
on the direction--within the scanning region. The laser source can
be operated with a red laser (wavelength 660 nm) or with a blue
laser (wavelength 405 nm).
[0086] FIGS. 3, 4 and 5 show possible relative arrangements of a
plurality of compact sensors at a scanning point in a purely
exemplary manner.
[0087] In accordance with FIG. 3, two compact sensors 23 are
arranged above a product 17 and each scan the product 17 obliquely
from above at approximately 45.degree.. The scanning planes 33 each
extend perpendicular to the direction of movement of the product 17
and are thus disposed in the plane of the drawing of FIG. 3. The
scanning planes 33 overlap such that the upper side of the product
17 can simultaneously be illuminated from different directions and
the side flanks of the product 17 can additionally be detected at
least substantially completely.
[0088] FIG. 4 shows an alternative arrangement. A compact sensor 23
is arranged approximately at the center above the product 17. Two
further compact sensors 23 are located beneath the product 17 at
both sides and each detect the product contour obliquely from
below.
[0089] FIG. 5 shows by way of example an arrangement in which two
compact sensors 23 are provided which are arranged behind one
another in the direction of movement of the product 17 and which
are oriented opposite one another. Such an arrangement makes it
possible to also detect such regions of products 17 having surfaces
that are in particular shaped in a highly irregular manner at those
surface regions which would not be visible by means of a single
sensor 23.
[0090] A plurality of such double arrangements of compact sensors
23 can be arranged distributed around the product 17 in the
peripheral direction.
REFERENCE NUMERAL LIST
[0091] 10 slicing apparatus, slicer [0092] 11 cutting region [0093]
13 transport region [0094] 15 product feed [0095] 16 product
abutment [0096] 17 product [0097] 19 cutting plane [0098] 20 axis
of rotation [0099] 21 cutting blade [0100] 22 cutting head [0101]
23 compact sensor [0102] 24 drive axis [0103] 25 sensor housing
[0104] 27 scanning region [0105] 29 transmitter, light source,
laser [0106] 31 receiver, camera [0107] 33 scanning plane [0108] 35
support frame or rack [0109] 37 transfer device [0110] 39 product
support [0111] 41 conveying device [0112] 43 conveying device
[0113] 44 conveying device [0114] 45 product inlet region [0115] 47
inlet plane [0116] 49 product holder [0117] 51 control device
[0118] 53 product slice [0119] 55 portion [0120] 57 optical axis
[0121] 59 detection region [0122] 61 conveyor [0123] 63 cutting
edge [0124] 65 portioning belt [0125] 67 conveyor belt [0126] 69
loading region [0127] A scanning point [0128] B scanning point
[0129] C scanning point [0130] D scanning point
* * * * *